Mitsubishi Bobbles Outlander Plug-In Hybrid Release Again

2017 MItsubishi Outlander PHEV (Credit: © MItsubishi)

To say that Mitsubishi doesn’t run a tight ship is an understatement. There’s a reason why the company is now leaning on Nissan for financial support, because it struggles getting things in gear. Case in point: the long-awaited Outlander Plug-In Hybrid is being delayed, again. Supposedly it’ll come out in September of 2017 now.

For those not keeping score, the plug-in hybrid was supposed to launch originally in the first part of 2014. Yes, as in over two years ago. By the time Mitsubishi finally brings the crossover to market, everyone else will have already leaped ahead. This is why Mitsubishis feel like cars from another era, and not in a good way.

In an interview with HybridCars, one Mitsubishi executive said the delay is all part of a clever strategy. Basically, they’re trying to make a high-quality car that will blow away everyone’s expectations. Considering the low bar set by the brand, that can’t be too hard. Not only that, but delivering a car on time at this point would be pretty freaking astounding, definitely blowing away expectations of more delays.

So if you’re one of the five people in the United States still waiting to get your hands on a plug-in hybrid version of the Mitsubishi Outlander, you might want to consider an alternative. It’s quite possible the car will never actually launch at this rate.